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"The Christianity of history is not Protestantism. If ever there were a safe truth it is this, and Protestantism has ever felt it so; to be deep in history is to cease to be a Protestant." (-John Henry Newman, An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine).

"Where the bishop is, there let the people gather; just as where ever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church".-St. Ignatius of Antioch (ca 110 AD)a martyr later thrown to the lions, wrote to a church in Asia Minor. Antioch was also where the term "Christian" was first used.

“But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth.” 1 Timothy 3:15

"This is the sole Church of Christ, which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic." -CCC 811

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Leave the Priesthood says Vicariate of Rome after another scandal involving priests

Priestly Ordination vowing to God a Chaste, Prayerful and Obedient Life for the service of God and his Church. (Photo Credit: A Catholic Life)

An Italian weekly magazine called “Panorama” has put the entire Catholic priesthood to another round of condemnation, ridicule and shame from dissenters after it publishes"sexual" escapades of supposedly gay “priests” in the Vicariate of Rome living a “double life” having casual “fling” to male prostitutes.

The magazine captured the attention of its readers by the article’s title “Le notti brave dei preti gay” (The wild nights of gay priests) which was immediately circulated in blogspheres and other news articles. According to the report, Panorama hired gay prostitutes with a reporter who was its accomplices for the expose of priests living a “double life”. The said priests were two Italians and a French man who “happily took part in gay events and had casual sex – deeply disturbing” says one report.

For me, it seems to appear that these “gay priests” having casual sex had no shame at all. In my humble opinion, these priests should leave the priesthood and live a private life of their choice for the sake of those good priests, the priesthood, the entire Catholic Church and the faithful who are mostly affected by the recent child abuse scandal that shocked the Church. The Vicariate of Rome is right when it says “"Know that no one forces them to remain priests, exploiting only the benefits. Coherence would require them to come into the open. We don't wish to hurt them, but we cannot accept that due to their behavior the integrity of the all the rest might be tarnished."

Catholic faithfuls in Rome feel “sorrow and dismay” from this recent scandal rocking the Vicariate of Rome and the entire Catholic Church.

In response, the Vicariate of Rome asks all priests living a double life to come out and leave the priesthood for the sake of the Catholic Priesthood, the Church and the faithful who are the most affected by the recent child abuse scandal done by abusive priests (read the news from CNA)

Though it may be true to some extent, for me, the said article wasn’t exposing priests living a double life for the purpose of weeding out constructively erring Catholic priests. Apparently Panorama has the purpose of defaming again the priesthood intentionally to demonize Catholic Priesthood and the Pope-- a continuation of the series of scandals all the way from the USA, in Europe and other parts of Asia and Africa.

Expectedly, with this latest scandal anti-Catholics in the media and right wing dissenters will certainly hit the Pope overshadowing the effort of the Holy See in weeding out “bad” priests from the priesthood, who, by their “scandalous behavior” blemishes the sacredness of Catholic priesthood. Another opportunity for anti-Catholics and dissenters in mocking the Church, the priesthood and our Christian life. And surely, the Pope again will be carrying the heavy burden this may impact his papacy. Let us Protect the Pope.

Undeniably, just like any Catholic who loves the Church I feel remorseful for this scandal which involves priests. But I hope and pray Catholics will not allow themselves to be scared and succumb to hopelessness for Christ promised the powers of the Enemy “will not prevail against his Church”. These things may pass so as to purify ourselves as Church and look inwardly where we might have neglected the Church and its priests.

"Before such facts we firmly adhere to what the Holy Father Benedict XVI has repeated several times in recent months: 'the sins of priests' call us all back to conversion of heart and life and to be vigilant so as not to 'pollute the faith and Christian life, damaging the integrity of the Church, weakening her capacity of prophecy and testimony, tarnishing the beauty of her face'” say the report at CNS.

May God have mercy on us and look upon with love the Church which he has bought by his blood.

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266th Pope of the Church

PRAYER FOR POPE FRANCIS

Lord, source of eternal life and truth,You have looked with mercy upon your servant Francis and called him to follow you.

Give him a spirit of courage and right judgement, and a spirit of knowledge and love.

By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as successor to the apostle Peter, Servant of the Servants of God, Bishop of Rome, son of Ignatius of Loyola and disciple of Francis of Assisi, build Your church into a sacrament of unity, love, mercy and peace for all the world.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

About the BIBLE

"As Catholics were responsible for writing the New Testament (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit), the Catholic Church doesn't "interpret" the Bible. We explain it. Protestants can only "interpret", because they are not the author (guided by the Holy Spirit), and therefore, can only guess at the possible meaning of a chapter, passage or phrase, just as anyone can only guess at any author's intentions in any other book. As the author, the Catholic Church is the only proper authority to consult in matters pertaining to the Bible." -Catholic Truth

The Original Names of the 12 Apostles

It’s one of those first things that you memorize in 2nd grade or in religious education: the names of the 12 Apostles of Jesus. We’ve all heard their names in Scripture and in prayers countless times. Also, they are probably some of the most commonly given names in the world! But Jesus would not have called them John or Thomas or Andrew or Peter, etc… those are all Anglicized version of the names of the Apostles. The English language didn't even exist at the time of the Apostles!

So what would their names have sounded like when spoken by Our Lord and what did those names mean? Here are the original forms of the names of the 12 Apostles and their meanings:

Peter The name Peter is derived, via Latin "petra", from the Greek word πέτρος (petros) meaning "stone" or "rock". According to the New Testament, Jesus gave Saint Peter (whose given name was Simon) the name Kephas or Cephas meaning "stone" in Aramaic.

Andrew English form of the Greek name Ανδρεας (Andreas), which was derived from ανδρειος (andreios) "manly, masculine", a derivative of ανηρ (aner) "man".

James the Greater & James The Lesser English form of the Late Latin name Iacomus which was derived from Ιακωβος (Iakobos), the New Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name Ya'aqov. The name comes from the Old Testament figure, Jacob (later called Israel) who was born holding his twin brother Esau's heel, and his name is explained as meaning "holder of the heel" or "supplanter", because he twice deprived his brother of his rights as the firstborn son (see Genesis 27:36).

John English form of Iohannes, the Latin form of the Greek name Ιωαννης (Ioannes), itself derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan) meaning "YAHWEH is gracious".

Philip From the Greek name Φιλιππος (Philippos) which means "friend of horses", composed of the elements φιλος (philos) "friend, lover" and ‘ιππος(hippos) "horse"

Bartholomew From Βαρθολομαιος (Bartholomaios), which was the Greek form of an Aramaic name meaning "son of TALMAI".

Matthew English form of Ματθαιος (Matthaios), which was a Greek form of the Hebrew name מַתִּתְיָהוּ (Mattityahu) meaning "gift of YAHWEH".

Thomas Greek form of the Aramaic name תָּאוֹמָא (Ta'oma') which meant "twin". (Apparently Thomas looked very much like Our Lord).

Jude (Thaddeus) & Judas Iscariot From the Hebrew יְהוּדָה (Yehudah) which meant "praised". From Ιουδας (Ioudas), the Greek form of JUDAH.

Simon The Zealot From Σιμων (Simon), the New Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name שִׁמְעוֹן (Shim'on) which meant "he has heard". This name is spelled Simeon, based on Greek Συμεων, in many translations of the Old Testament